Dior Spring/Summer 2027 Finds Beauty in Nature’s Imperfections

2 min read

Each invitation to Jonathan Anderson’s latest Dior show came with two walnuts. Not for snacking, but as a nod to wénwán, the Chinese tradition of rolling them in the hand until their surfaces develop a natural patina. For spring/summer 2027, Anderson carried that tactile thinking into fluid tailoring, watercolor effects, and handcrafted details.

Presented at the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris this afternoon, the collection was shaped by nature’s mix of symmetry and irregularity. Dior’s New Look, with its precise proportions, brings to mind the former. But Anderson loosened its familiar lines, letting the clothes feel airy and full of motion.

The offering proved the designer’s most light-handed and realized yet, both in terms of fabrication and silhouette. Like the patina on wénwán, his vision for Dior is gaining character with time.

Suit jackets came rendered in semitransparent chiffon and floaty floral appliqués. Skirts were whisper-thin, with dynamic pleats and Chantilly lace inlays. Some were spliced with underlying structures that gave them a fluid foundation, a technique that could be seen on romantic evening dresses and the hems of peplum-style tops.

There were echoes of both Anderson’s Dior tenure and that of the house’s founder. Metallic embossed trousers and fluid double-breasted blazers referenced pieces from Anderson’s latest men’s collection for the brand, as he expanded upon the simple drop waists and floral shapes of previous seasons. (Camphor trees, set to be replanted in the Tuileries, lined the runway.)

Christian Dior, too, was captivated by nature: his 1947 debut collection introduced the “Corolle” line, with skirts that opened like flower petals. That romanticism was still there, but within silhouettes that were lighter and less symmetrical.

Anderson’s Dior came into sharper focus here: romantic, relaxed, and attuned to how women dress now. He dedicated the show to the late Mathilde Favier, the house’s longtime public relations director and a beloved presence at the brand. Her instinct for mixing polish with play could be felt in the clothes, from soft jackets over chiffon skirts to bow-trimmed dresses ruffled like carnations.

Matthew Velasco is the Fashion News Editor at ELLE. Based in New York City, he previously worked as a News Writer at W magazine and an Assistant Editor at V magazine. Outside of fashion, he enjoys interior design, tennis (both watching and playing), and a jam-packed antique store.